COLUMN: Everybody Calls Me Jana Banana

One of the most enduring traditions of our fine nation is the civic groups that are in our communities.

Last week, I had the distinct honor of being asked by my good friend and neighbor Walt Peterson to speak at the Lions Club meeting at Mr. B’s on Thursday afternoon. This being Walt, of course, he asked me on Wednesday. As luck would have it, my schedule was free, and I told him yes.

As I drove to Mr. B’s, I marveled as always at the adorably small post office in Lydia. Something about that drive through the country really allows your mind to relax and enjoy the wide expanse of sky that one can only find in the beauty of rural South Carolina.

Once at Mr. B’s, I was ushered to the Lions meeting room. The gentlemen were all friendly, and everyone enjoyed the delicious food from the buffet. The meeting began with Lion Bud Gandy presiding, and the men stood to for the Pledge of Allegiance – then they broke into the very best (and loud!) rendition of “God Bless America” that I’ve ever heard. As I always do during a patriotic song, I scanned the area for people that I imagine to be veterans of foreign wars. They are the ones that sing the most heartily, with the most reverence and with their backs straight and tall. I do believe that every man in that room had a connection to our armed forces in some fashion, if not themselves directly, then their fathers or grandfathers. The room resonated with their voices, and I made a promise to myself that somehow, I must videotape this for posterity – they are that good!
After the song was over, I heard, “it’s a great day to be a Lion! Roar!”

Yes, indeed, I can count myself as one of the few female speakers in the decidedly male Lions Club of Hartsville, and I cannot tell you what a great group of gentlemen they are. You may know them by their commitment to help needy people have glasses, and now they are famous for something else – the great inflatable Lion’s costume that they have sported at the Good Living Marketplace the first Saturday of every month in Cargill Way. Thank you for the warm welcome, Lions, and I promise to get that video soon!
My latest adventure this week was to the Home and Garden Club by invitation of my dear friend, Betty Lou Fink. Her sister, Janice Fields, and I share a deep love for the individuals served by the Darlington County and Special Needs Board. The women of this
club are dear friends and have a great history together.

They hail from all points of Darlington County and join in friendship by their love of all things that grow. I told them that I am a horrible gardener and am a bit intimidated to be taking the Master Gardening class at Kalmia Gardens this spring, but they reassured me that I could handle it. They were appalled, however, that I would dare to promote anything to do with South Carolina until I immediately changed my aversion to grits. I was told to not fix it like Yankees, to cook it with a mild cheese and to quickly learn to love this decidedly Southern delicacy.

I’ll let you know how I do with the Master Gardeners class probably a bit quicker than I can report on my training to learn to like grits!